“If you’re interested, I’d love to introduce these statues to you. They all have quite the history,” As if she didn’t care at all whether Su Ling had work to do, the woman blocked her path, speaking entirely on her own terms.
“The Nation of Ansels worships the Goddess of the Abyss, but no one has ever seen the true face of the Goddess. Because of that, the Royal Painters racked their brains trying to create the most beautiful woman imaginable, to serve as the public’s impression of the Goddess.”
“But everyone has their own definition of ultimate beauty, and it’s impossible to please everyone. So, they selected the twelve most beautiful depictions of the Goddess, and had artisans craft them into statues to be placed in the Royal Garden.”
Without hesitation, she took Su Ling’s hand and led her, circling the statues at a slow, unhurried pace.
“Look, each Goddess statue is different. This one with feathers in her hair symbolizes freedom; that one cradling an infant stands for nurture; the one holding a jeweled scepter represents conquest; and the weeping one, tears at the corners of her eyes, is the symbol of compassion… For people, what matters most in the world is never the same, so the powers of the Goddess are described in many different ways.”
As Su Ling listened, she looked up at the ivory-white ceramic statues, all half a head taller than herself. Sunlight danced between the statues’ thorny crowns, light and shadow mingling, every carved line appearing exceptionally clear.
The eyes of the statues were deep and distant, as if gazing far into the horizon—or perhaps piercing through time and space, staring straight into the soul of anyone who stopped to look.
“So, little cannon, which of these statues is the most noble Goddess in your heart?” The woman turned and fixed her gaze on her.
“I…” Su Ling tilted her head, falling into thought. A strand of silver hair fell beside her ear.
“I suppose… it’s the one holding the infant?”
“Nurture? That’s a very interesting choice.” The woman let out a low, raspy chuckle.
“I didn’t expect you to pick that. If it were me…” She stretched out a pale finger, straight as a clock hand, and pointed at the Goddess statue with feathers in her hair.
“I would choose this one—freedom.”
With that, the woman stepped forward, reaching out to stroke the statue’s cheek. Her fingertips traced the curve of its jaw, as though lost in its beauty.
“There’s nothing in this world more dazzling than freedom! But, alas, freedom is such a fragile thing. Everyone’s freedom is different. Sometimes, to have your own freedom, you might have to take someone else’s away.”
She spoke as if reciting a verse.
“I… I see…” Su Ling glanced at the woman, still puzzled as to why she seemed so strange.
Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she quickly pulled her hand back from the woman’s grasp.
“Wait—how do you know my name?” she asked, her eyes wary and fixed on the woman’s. It wasn’t just her name.
Judging from the conversation so far, this woman seemed to know other things about her as well. And yet, she herself knew nothing about this woman.
“Only now do you realize something’s wrong?” The blonde woman burst out laughing, her tone teasing.
“You’re even more interesting than I imagined. No wonder Sista Anderson treats you as her plaything—you really are unusually cute.”
“You…” Before Su Ling could react, the woman had already stepped closer, hooking Su Ling’s chin with her finger, her face drawing nearer and nearer.
At once, Su Ling caught a sickly sweet scent that made her want to retch.
She wanted to break away, but she worried that struggling too much might anger this mysterious stranger. So, she could only hold her breath, quietly. The woman leaned in, her lips almost brushing Su Ling’s ear, voice deliberately lowered.
“I’d love… to borrow you from Sista Anderson for a little fun.”
An intense, unfamiliar aura pressed down on her, and Su Ling’s pupils widened in shock.
This woman, could she be… a member of the Blood Clan? Though she had disguised herself well at first, after spending so much time with Sista Anderson, Su Ling’s instincts told her this woman was nothing like an ordinary human.
As Su Ling’s mind raced, the woman’s fingers rested lightly on her slender neck, gliding slowly like a snake, each touch seeming to test the warmth beneath her skin.
Her fingertips carried an indescribable sensation, each press perfectly provoking the subtle tension in the air.
“Such astonishing quality… No wonder you’re considered first-class,” the blonde woman whispered in a magnetic, husky voice, full of admiration and intoxication, as if she were appraising a rare treasure.
“This radiance… makes one want to savor it thoroughly…”
A flicker of resistance flashed in Su Ling’s eyes. She clenched her teeth tightly, her lips nearly breaking under the pressure. All the while, she calculated how to break free from this sudden intimacy without causing a bigger scene.
“I have to stay calm. Don’t act rashly. I need to find the right moment and push her away as politely and firmly as possible,” she told herself.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain composed. Her fingertips tensed, just about to push the woman away, when suddenly, a metallic clatter sounded from not far away.
Clang! Followed immediately by a dull thud.
Su Ling turned her head at the noise. Standing there was an elderly gardener. His watering can had rolled far across the ground, his eyes wide as saucers, as if he’d just witnessed something utterly unbelievable.
His face was a mix of shock, embarrassment, and confusion.
At that moment, the woman beside her let out a soft sigh, her voice full of disappointment.
She slowly turned, her gaze meeting Su Ling’s.
“It seems our little fun has been interrupted,” she said with a wry smile, her tone tinged with self-mockery.
“Y-Your Highness!” The gardener’s voice shook with excitement and nerves, his words stuttering as if each one weighed a thousand pounds.
“Your Highness… Y-you’ve come back?” His eyes were filled with disbelief, as though he was still struggling to process this sudden turn of events.
Su Ling was startled by his words. She quickly turned and examined the woman at her side more closely. The woman seemed to see right through her thoughts, offering a faint smile before turning back to the gardener.
“I’m just coming home. Is that really so surprising?” Her voice was gentle, but the gardener’s panic didn’t subside. If anything, his eyes grew even more anxious.
“But, but Your Highness… shouldn’t you at least let your attendants inform us in advance…?” His voice grew softer and softer, almost muttering to himself, “We… we weren’t prepared at all. How can we possibly welcome you properly?”
The woman let out another gentle sigh. “Mr. Gardener, why be so anxious? I’m only coming home. There’s no need for the servants to greet me. You all work so hard as it is—I don’t want you to do any extra work,” she said kindly.
Mr. Gardener nodded, still visibly nervous, but the panic in his eyes slowly faded.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he replied quietly.
“Now then, Su Ling, let me introduce myself,” the blonde woman suddenly turned, her gaze soft as she looked at Su Ling.
“Moria Anderson. That is my name.”